Antibiotics Feeding Accelerate Functional Maturation of Intestinal Immune-Related Cells of Male Broiler Chicks after Hatch

Abstract

Developmental changes in immune-related cells of the upper and lower gut during the first 2 weeks post-hatch were determined in broiler chickens fed a corn-soybean meal based diet with or without antibiotics (salinomycin and enramycin). In the upper gut, expressions of CD3, Bu-1, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, toll like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 mRNA were greater in the antibiotics-fed group during 3 to 8 days of age. Similar effect of antibiotics on these expressions was observed in the lower gut with lesser extent. At 15 days of age, expression of most of immune related makers did not differ in the both groups, but some of makers (IFN-γ, Bu-1and TLR-4 mRNA) in the antibiotics-free group were greater. IL-18 mRNA expression was greater in the antibiotics-free group through the experimental periods in the lower gut. The findings suggest that functional maturation of some of immune-related cells in the gut is faster in the antibiotics fed group than that in the antibiotics-free group and effect of antibiotics feeding is much remarkable in the upper gut.

Keywords

• antibiotics, development
• gut immune cells
• mrna expression
• newly hatched chicks